The influence of radio is immense because it is a personal, widely available and primarily free medium. Radio allows you to hear, not just imagine, a laugh; to engulf yourself in a program while driving; to cook dinner to the backdrop of interesting stories; to stay abreast of what is happening in the world; and to be part of the greater conversation.
But it’s logical that when many people, including communication practitioners, think of radio and its impact, they likely think of radio in its traditional form: a box or display with a dial that you turn. This is generally known as terrestrial (land-based) radio, through which a FCC-licensed frequency, tower and transmitter are needed.
However, due to the many advanced ways people access radio programming – through a computer or via Smartphone devices that allow the user to stream live audio and download podcasts – radio’s reach is increasingly endless. Now, even the definition of radio is evolving.
Despite radio’s competitors continuing to try to cobble together a crisis of its failure and antiquity, the certainty is that this medium is morphing and its future is healthy. Indeed, analyses show that radio stations are becoming effective multimedia adopters.